Improvement in processes of manufacturing shoe-binding



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. MORRILL, OF DEERING, MAINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,400, dated November 28, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. MoRmLL,

of Deering, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Process of Manufacturing Shoe-Bindings; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a series of leather strips as they are first cut and colored. Fig. 2 repre sents one of such strips with-the ends prepared for being united to another strip. Fig. 3 represents the method of uniting two of such strips. Fig. 4 represents the finished binding.

My invention has for its object to ini'prove the manufacture of shoe-bindings which are composed of narrow strips of leather, or skin having one side colored about half its width, and the remainder left plain or uncolored.

The usual process of manufacture consists in cutting the skins, by suitable mechanism, into narrow strips the width of the binding required, which strips are then SQCHIBCI together to form a continuous piece, and the latter colored upon one side about half its width.

This process is necessarily slow and expensive because the cutting and coloring are not immediately successive operations,but performed at different times, one before and the other after the operation of uniting the strips. An improvement upon this process consists in cutting the skin into strips double the required width of the binding, and simultaneously coloring each strip upon the opposite edges so as to leave a wide, uncolored space in the center. They are then united, as above described, and the long strip divided longitudinally in the center of the uncolored portion, thereby producing two strips of finished binding. This latter process, however, is specially objectionable for the following reasons: As the coloring-matter is applied to the edges of the strips it is liable to be spread or pressed over and extend upon the under surface and as this coloring-matter is composed of strong chemicals its application to both sides will rot and destroy the leather. If applied to the grained side it does not injure the leather; but if spread upon the fiesh side it penetrates the leather and destroys its strength. My invention has for its object to overcome these obcess of cutting the skins into jections; and to this end it consists in the prostrips and coloring the latter in the center instead of upon the edges; and finally in dividing such strips through the center of the colored portion, as I will now proceed to describe.

The skin is first placed upon a flat surface, and one end attached to a sheet of paper or other thin pliable material. The paper is then covered with a thin sheet of metal to prevent it from drawing or wrinkling during the process of cutting and coloring. A carriage or frame provided with a series of cutters, arranged the requisite distance apart, and with suitable brushes for spreading the color, is then passed over the skin, cutting it into strips and coloring it at the same time. The brushes are arranged to follow the knives, not in the same line, but covering the spaces between them.

.By this means the strips are colored in the center, as shown in Fig. 1, instead of upon the edges, and all danger, therefore, of spreading the color upon both the grained and flesh sides is avoided. The strips thus prepared are chamfered or beveled at their ends in reverse positions, as shown at A A, Fig. 2, and the different strips connected together in such a manner as to form one continuous strip, having the flesh side plain and the grained side marked with a broad black central stripe. In uniting the strips I prefer to employ concussion to render the joints more secure and uniform.

The continuous strip prepared as above described, is finally divided longitudinally through the center of the black stripe, which converts it into two strips of shoe-binding, each one-half or about one-half black, and the remainder white or uncolored, as shown in Fig. 4. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is The improved process of manufacturing leather shoe-bindings, consisting essentially in cutting the skins of hides into strips, coloring the latter in the center, uniting them at the ends,

and finally separating them through the center of the colored portion, substantially as described.

CHAS. E. MORRILL.

D. W. ScRIBNER. (16) CHARLES E. MGR-BILL.

Process of Manufacturing Shoe Binding. 

